Warner Carbine
Massachusetts Arms Company · Carbine · Discontinued · 1864
Also known as: James Warner Model 1864 Carbine, Warner Breech-Loading Carbine
Overview
The Warner Carbine is a single-shot, breech-loading metallic-cartridge carbine produced by the Massachusetts Arms Company in 1864 for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Designed by James Warner, it featured a distinctive brass frame with a hinged breechblock and a manual extractor mounted beneath the forend, chambered for the proprietary .50 Warner rimfire cartridge. It holds the distinction of being the only brass-framed carbine purchased by the U.S. Ordnance Department during the war, aside from the Henry repeating rifle.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3062 g (108.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 953 mm (37.52") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Single Shot |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 980 J (723 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 12 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Brass Blued |
Calibers
- .50 Warner Rimfire · primary — also known as .50 Rimfire, .50 Caliber Warner
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breechloader
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Brass Frame, Hinged Breechblock, Manual Extractor, Saddle Ring, Splinter Forend
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1864
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,501 · Production years: 1864
Single Ordnance Department contract; first 200 delivered March 31, 1864, balance by June 1864
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: James Warner
Discontinued: 1864
Notes
Roughly 1,500 examples were delivered against an Ordnance Department contract at $18.00 each. The brass frame and short production run make surviving examples scarce among Civil War collectors.
Background
James Warner had previously worked with Eli Whitney and served as superintendent of the Springfield Arms Company before patenting his breech-loading carbine in 1864. Although it reached the battlefield only in the war's final year, the Warner was the sole brass-framed single-shot carbine bought by the Ordnance Department.